Best I ever had
by Simplicity of me
Summary: With goku gone, Chi-chi is alone. With her sons are grown up and everyone too busy to visit, she dreams...but with what costs?


_Quick message. Apologizes if I made Goku a tad bit…what's the word…different from what he usually is. I had to alter his character to fit in with this story. And the same to any other character I haven't portrayed to the correct standard. Sorry! (He he, I sounded smart! Wow…)_

With a wave, and a grin, his wings spread, his halo glowed and he was gone, into the clouds. She had promised herself she wouldn't cry, she had cried too much in her life to do it again. But for the umpteenth time, she couldn't stop the tears, and she collapsed to her knees in a fit of sobs.

_So you sailed away  
into a grey sky morning  
now I'm here to stay  
Love can be so boring _

_Nothing's quite the same now  
I just say your name now_

She could hear the sighs, the cries, the mutters of the people around her yet none came to her side. None came to comfort her, as they themselves were consoling their own woes and fears. Sure, this had happened before, to all of them. But this time was different. This time, they knew he would never come back. Ever. No dragon balls, no miracle could happen this time.

"Goku" She whispered into the ground that was soaked from her tears. He had only been gone for 5 minutes and already her heart was swollen from longing.

_But it's not so bad  
You're only the best I ever had  
You don't want me back  
You're just the best I ever had_

The group that had gathered to say farewell to their hero had departed and, once again, she was alone. Her sons were no longer there, each one had their own life to care what she was doing. Her best friend, the one she would converse with, had her own problems to deal with, to be chatting with her. With a sigh, she tucked back a strand of her ageing hair and set herself the task of cleaning her house.

_  
so you stole my world  
now I'm just a phony  
Remembering the boy  
leaves me down and lonely  
Send it in a letter  
Make yourself feel better_

She had nothing to do, everything had been done a thousand times over. Normally, there was a mountain of dishes to clean, a broken vase or other to pick up, food to cook…Not anymore. Nearly a week had gone by and she had nothing to do. A quick visit from her sons, a chat to Bulma was all she could name in her weekly activities…that and cleaning.

A hand covered her heart that ached and she looked out of her window. The rainy season had crept over the mountains. The skies darkened, clouds had formed and the thunder clapped after a burst of light. She had often found her boys playing with their father in the rain. She chuckled, lowly, with her eyes closed, blissfully reliving the memories she had. And with the flash of lightening, came an idea. Hitching out her skirt, she ran outside__

But it's not so bad  
You're only the best I ever had  
You don't need me back  
You're just the best I ever had

The rain beat down on her face and she laughed, loudly at herself; the stiff house wife now dancing bare-footed in the rain. She would regret it in the morning, but for now, the simple joy of dancing was all she wanted. The grass tickled her bare feet and the rain ran all the way down her body. She imagined herself with Goku, dancing with them like he did with his children. Her laugh tickled up her throat, her head thrown back, bellowing it out to the sky. __

And it may take some time to  
Patch me up inside  
But I can't take it so I  
Run away and hide  
And I may find in time that  
You were always right  
You're always right  


The rain thinned out slowly and the joy of dancing had disappeared, replace with the reality she wanted to escape. With another sigh, she trudged back into her house, soaked to the bone and shivering. Peeling away the wet clothes she wore and throwing them into the laundry basket, she warmed herself with a shower. A thick fluffy towel wrapped itself around her frail body and she changed into her night dress, before tucking herself away into her bed.

_  
So you sailed away  
into a grey sky morning  
now I'm here to stay  
Love can be so boring _

_What was it you wanted  
could it be I'm haunted _

"Goku?" She blinked, rubbing her eyes in disbelief. The image of her husband was before her, the young face she loved was still there, untouched by time until her.

He smiled, softly, before pulling her into a hug

"Chi-chi" He whispered into her hair, sniffing her scent like he used to. She closed her eyes in bliss, burying herself into her husband's arms. "Kami, I missed you"

"I missed you too" She choked, unable to keep her voice from wavering. "How are you-"

"I had to see you again" He pulled away, holding her at arms length to look at her "Even if it was in a dream"

"I'm dreaming?" She asked, reality once again hurting her.

"Sorry" He whispered, pulling her back into a hug "I don't want to leave you again. I can't stand being away from you"

"Goku, I-" Chi-chi started, shocked by the sudden announcement of love her husband just made. And yet, she couldn't help the feeling of resentment trickling itself over her. She spent half her life away from him and he can't even spend a week away from her? "How did…I mean, you cope before, I don't-"

"You don't have to understand" He replied, running a hand through her hair "Just know that I'm coming back to earth. Soon. So that-"

"So that you can leave me again?" She yelled, bitterly, pulling herself away from his embrace

"No chi, I want to be with you" He soothed, reaching out a hand to caress her face

"As do I Goku" She said, shaking her head in disbelief but leaning into his touch "But every time you come back to me, you leave again. And it hurts. More than the last. And I don't think I can take the pain again, if you go off again" She rubbed her temple, her eyes closed so she couldn't see his expression. "I think it would be best if you stayed. Here I mean"

"Chi, I thought-" He started and she looked at him. And it tore her heart, to see him looking like that. 'But it needs to be done' she told herself

"I know Goku. I know. And if there was another way, I would take it. But it isn't fair on me, Gohan, Goten, Pan…everyone" She sighed, holding him in a hug and kissing him on the cheek. "It's for the best if you stay and wait for me this time"

He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, a few tears escaping his closed eyelids. And when he opened them, she could see how hurt he was by this

'It's for the best' she told herself, feeling the tears come back to her again.

"I understand Chi. I will wait an eternity for you" He pulled her towards him, pressing his lips to hers in a sweet kiss. Her hands found his hair, his locks running between her fingers, while he rubbed her back in small circles. They parted, just happy to be held in each other's arms.

"I love you" she murmured into his shoulder, breathing in the scent she missed

"I love you" He replied, in the same manner she did.

_  
But it's not so bad  
you're only the best I ever had  
I don't want you back  
you're just the best I ever had  
the best I ever had  
the best I ever_

The world around them was fading, his image was flickering yet he still held on. And with one last kiss, he was gone and she woke up from her bed.

With a start, she looked around her room, expecting to see her husband's face beaming at her

'He's dead, remember' she thought, turning her feet to the ground, toes curling when the cool wooden floor boards hit her flesh. Standing up, she walked to the window to see sun rise from its cradle in the mountains and the birds chirping loudly to one another. The land smelt of rain; the trees glistened with raindrops and the grass shone with dew. She thought back to the dream…even if it wasn't real, he had never spoken to her or even treated her like that…

'He must really regret leaving me all those times' she thought, breathing in the morning air. She smiled, rubbing her arms to keep warm and still thinking of her dream.

"Well, he's got a long wait" She told herself, as padded to kitchen "Because I don't plan on dying yet"


End file.
